Designing Rural Learning Through University-Preservice Teacher-School District Partnerships

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3776/tpre.2026.v16n1p1-16

Keywords:

rural education, outdoor learning, place-based education, teacher preparation, university-school-district partnerships, student-driven inquiry

Abstract

This practice-based article examines a university-school-district partnership designed to strengthen rural teacher preparation through student-driven inquiry and place-based education. Grounded in an asset-oriented perspective of rural communities, the work centers on a collaboration between a rural-serving university and a local school district seeking to expand meaningful, place-based outdoor learning opportunities for both preservice and inservice teachers. Drawing on theories of rural cultural wealth and asset-based approaches, the initiative positions preservice teachers not as passive recipients of coursework but as active co-designers of learning experiences rooted in local contexts. Through a structured inquiry process, preservice teachers collaborated with faculty, district leaders, and community partners to design a sequence of courses focused on outdoor and place-based learning. This work was intentionally responsive to district-identified needs and emphasized the strengths, knowledge, and resources embedded within rural communities. The article describes how preservice teachers engaged in experiential learning and curriculum design while working alongside practicing educators and community members. These experiences supported the development of professional identity, strengthened understanding of rural schooling, and fostered a deeper appreciation for the role of place in teaching and learning. By documenting this collaborative process, the article illustrates how student-driven inquiry can function as a powerful tool for aligning teacher preparation with local priorities. The findings highlight the value of centering rural voices and leveraging community assets as a way to create reciprocal partnerships between universities and school districts. Ultimately, this work contributes a practice-based model for designing teacher education that is responsive, place-conscious, and grounded in the lived realities of rural communities.

Author Biographies

  • Steph N. Dean, Clemson University

    Dr. Steph N. Dean is an assistant professor of science education in the Department of Teaching & Learning at Clemson University. Steph uses qualitative methods to understand what it is like to teach, learn, and play within natural or built environments. With over 11 years of experience as a K-8 educator, she is highly interested in how nature-based learning can be integrated into state standards in public-school settings.

  • Kristen Cuthrell, Clemson University

    Dr. Kristen Cuthrell is chair of the Department of Education and Human Development, and interim chair for the Department of Teaching & Learning and a Dean's Fellow of Rural Education and Outreach in the College of Education at Clemson University. Her work focuses on rural education research-practice partnerships, rural cultural wealth, and asset-based community development, with an emphasis on amplifying rural voices and assets. Over the last 20 years, Kristen collaborated in approximately $30 million externally funded research and outreach focused on improving and growing community partnerships in rural areas and currently serves as director of the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA) Center for Innovative Rural Collaborative Leadership Education (CIRCLE).

  • Reagan Nohrenberg, Clemson University

    Reagan Nohrenberg graduated from Clemson University in the summer of 2026 with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Parks and Protected Area Management. She is passionate about educating and inspiring young learners, creating meaningful connections that foster confidence, curiosity, and strong character. Reagan values providing positive learning experiences and helping students develop meaningful connections with the natural world. She is especially interested in creating engaging educational experiences that integrate nature-based learning while supporting children’s academic, social, and emotional growth.

  • Michelle Conley, Pickens County Schools, South Carolina

    Michelle Conley is an elementary educator with 26 years of experience teaching every grade level from kindergarten through fifth grade. Her passion is developing lifelong learners by fostering curiosity and a love of learning through hands-on experiences. Michelle regularly extends learning beyond the classroom by taking students on nature walks, incorporating outdoor learning spaces into instruction, and guiding them through hands-on gardening experiences in the school’s raised-bed garden.

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Published

2026-10-13

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 1 (2026): Theory and Practice in Rural Education

Section

Practice Forum

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Copyright (c) 2026 Steph N. Dean, Kristen Cuthrell, Reagan Nohrenberg, Michelle Conley

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Articles will be published using a Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial Sharealike license. (For more information on this license, please visit the Creative Commons license page.) Please also note that the authors are explicitly granting permission for Academic Library Services to store a copy of the article in The ScholarShip, ECU's Institutional Repository under the terms of the current ScholarShip license. As a North Carolina agency, ECU contributes copies of all publications to the North Carolina State Archives.

How to Cite

Designing Rural Learning Through University-Preservice Teacher-School District Partnerships. (2026). Theory & Practice in Rural Education, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.3776/tpre.2026.v16n1p1-16